This invention relates generally to selective data communication, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for selectively controlling data flow between a proprietary stream and a subscriber.
Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor section, a combustor section, and at least one turbine section. The compressor compresses air, which is mixed with fuel and channeled to the combustor. The mixture is then ignited thereby generating hot combustion gases. The combustion gases are channeled to the turbine which extracts energy from the combustion gases for powering the compressor, as well as producing useful work to power a load, such as an electrical generator, or to propel an aircraft in flight.
At least some known gas turbine engines are operated with advanced control systems that include proprietary data streams that transmit and receive data amongst various instruments and modules that make up the control system. Furthermore, to facilitate remote monitoring of the engines, proprietary data may be transmitted to a location that is remote from the facility including the engine and control system. Protecting such data from unauthorized reception facilitates preserving its proprietary value. Accordingly, within at least some known transmission systems, data is transmitted via dedicated communication lines from the data source to an end user. Other known systems encrypt or otherwise obfuscate the data prior to transmitting it, such that a decryption key is needed to view the transmitted data. However, in some cases it may be desirable to permit access to predetermined entities such as, customers and/or preauthorized maintenance service providers without requiring those entities to have a dedicated line for access to encrypted data.